WNYT.com

Hopeful fliers wish storm would take-off

Albany International Airport looked a little bit like a ghost town on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, a few folks were visibly disappointed as they looked at all the flight cancelations on the monitor.

The airport is trying to do everything they can to keep roadways clear.

“It’s a lot of up and down, it gets monotonous after a while, but you get used to it,” says Dan Rafferty, who helps coordinate snow cleanup at the airport.

“These guys are pretty good. They listen well,” he says.

The job is kind of like conducting a symphony orchestra. Instead of musicians, Rafferty has a crew of drivers operating big loaders, large brooms, blowers, and plows. He communicates with the tower to make sure they are out of the way when planes are coming.

On a day like this, they will be plowing the equivalent of a single lane highway from Albany to Warrensburg and back.

“We can’t control the weather, but we can control safety, and we want to be safe at this airport,” said Doug Myers, Airport Spokesperson.

Many people had their vacations delayed or canceled. “Our flight is not canceled yet for tomorrow, but it probably will be,” said Morgan Beardslee, a traveler who was hoping to go to Costa Rica with friends. “If we can’t get out tomorrow, we’re not going.”

As of 5 p.m. 39 flights coming in and 24 departure flights have been canceled.